


Grey

by yastaghr



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Angst, Broken Bones, Domestic Violence, Emotional Manipulation, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Polyamory, Slow Romance, Swapcest - Freeform, Swearing, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Unhealthy Relationships, edgeberry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-08-20 12:05:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16555439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yastaghr/pseuds/yastaghr
Summary: Blue and Stretch are falling apart until they end up in Underfell. Sometimes something unexpected can bring people together.





	1. Break

Stretch slammed open the door to his laboratory and said over his shoulder, “i don't get why you would just do that! you didn't ask me if you could tell her. you just chatted away like a chirpy little bluebird and let slip that we were dating!”

 

Blue, just behind him, stomped the snow off his boots at the top of the stairs. 

 

“ITS ALPHYS! WHY WOULDN'T I TELL HER? SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND!”

 

Stretch kicked a stuck drawer hard until it opened up.

 

“she's also the captain of the royal guard! and, i don't know if you're aware of this despite me telling you over and over, but this is illegal.”

 

Blue shoved the door closed with a little more force than necessary.

 

“NO IT'S NOT! IF YOU'D BOTHERED TO LISTEN TO ME EARLIER, YOU'D KNOW THAT I WAS ASKING HER IF IT WAS. AND SHE SAID-”

 

“-i’m the fucking judge,” Stretch interrupted him, “are you saying I wouldn't know if shit like this is illegal or not?”

 

“DON'T INTERRUPT ME! AND DON'T SWEAR!” Blue stamped his foot.

 

Stretch dragged the tarp off of his machine and rolled his eyes.

 

“oh, like that's the important thing here. i'm a fucking adult and you don't get to tell me what I can and cannot say!”

 

Blue clenched his fists.

 

“I'VE NEVER DONE THAT!”

 

“what the hell?” Stretch said, pushing the new battery in his hands into the machine’s port, “you just fucking did!”

 

Blue grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

 

“I DID NOT!”

 

Stretch snatched the hand off his shoulder and flung Blue into the machine. A crack sounded. It sent Blue reeling into the wall, cradling his left arm and panting. 

  
  


Stretch immediately went to the machine, checking the paneling and missing the glowing light on the side. It began to blink. When he couldn’t find something obviously wrong, he rounded on Blue.

 

“what the hell is your problem? i'm your brother. i'm your boyfriend. you should listen to what i say. i’ve told you to be careful in here!”

 

Blue blinked a few times. Then he scowled.

 

“I'M NOT THE ONE WHO-”

 

The world went white.

 

* * *

 

Grey. That was the first thought that trickled into Blue’s head. Grey was...not what he had been expecting. Had he been expecting something? Blue’s brain felt fuzzy and full of cotton wool. Or maybe steel wool. Something grey and full of pain. Like his arm.

 

Blue rolled away from the pain and onto his right side. Then he wiggled his way into a tailor’s seat. He tried rolling his left shoulder to work out the kink. Raw bone ground against bone. Okay. Definitely not doing that again. He wondered what Alphys had done this time that broke his bone. Given the way his head was swimming, he probably had a concussion as well. Time to grit his way through one of the Captain’s sloppy healings. He could just-

 

This wasn’t the training grounds or Alphys’ front yard. This was snow. Or at least, mostly snow. It was too grey for proper snow. In fact, it looked like he was sitting in Dust. 

 

Blue leaned forward, uncrossed his legs so he was kneeling, and shifted his weight to his left knee. He was just about to shift the other leg around front when he heard the moan. He turned his head and saw Stretch laying, facing him, not ten feet away. He saw Stretch’s eyes open. They blinked. They blew wide open. In the same moment, Stretch pushed himself back and whimpered.

 

Blue sighed, got up, and walked over to his younger brother. He got down and in his face; between Stretch and the Dust.

 

“LOOK AT ME, STRETCH. NO, DON’T LOOK AT THE GROUND,” Blue reached up with his right hand and redirected Stretch’s skull. He continued, “STRETCH, LOOK INTO MY SOCKETS PLEASE. GOOD JOB. I’M HERE, STRETCH. NOTHING IS GOING TO HURT YOU. YOU’RE SAFE, STRETCH. WHAT ARE YOU?”

 

“‘m safe,” Stretch mumbled. Blue could feel his soul beat calming down.

 

“GOOD JOB. NOW, CAN YOU GET UP ON YOUR OWN?”

 

Stretch tried. He managed the maneuver, even if it was wobbly. Blue forced his knees to let him stand. Because he was about 2/3 as big as Stretch was, his little brother could see over him. He stiffened. Blue turned around to see what it was.

 

Sitting at the sentry station that had been directly behind them was a skeleton. He was tall and thin, taller than even Stretch was when he wasn’t slouching. He was wearing a good set of guard armour. Not shiny, polished armour like Captain Alphys wore, but scuffed up, dented armour that had taken a beating. Underneath the armour he wore a black leather jerkin. It had patches in it. Some were sewn well, but other ones were sloppy. He also had a ragged red scarf around his neck. But the most remarkable thing was his face. It looked like Stretch’s.

 

The other skeleton got up to the sound of creaking metal. He moved slowly. His armour scraped and creaked in a way that had Blue wondering if this skeleton spent any time oiling it at all. Below the breast plate’s tassets were leather pants and red-brown boots. They shuffled through the Dust and snow.

 

“COME,” Was the only word the other said. He simply turned onto the main path, clearly assuming they would follow. Blue and Stretch exchanged a look. Then Stretch followed Blue in the other’s footsteps.

 

Everything they passed was grey, grey, grey. The snow was gritty underneath their feet. The trees were scorched, scarred, and sparse. The path was muddy, no stones at all. The sentry stations they passed were built tough. They could take a lot and, in most cases, had. One looked fairly new, but the landscape around it was charcoal. The previous one must have burned.

 

Eventually they reached the town of Snowdin. What few buildings there were were built of stone. There was no library. Muffet’s restaurant was replaced by a forge. And their house…

 

Their house was a third the size it was supposed to be. It wasn’t much more than a bungalow. It was still the largest building in the town, but it definitely wasn’t the large house they were used to. If they hadn’t figured out they were a long way from home already, that would have proved it. 

 

The strange skeleton led them into the house without a word. Once inside, he bolted the door and dropped a wooden bar across the doorway. Then he brushed past Blue’s left side on his way to the kitchen. Blue didn’t move in time to avoid having the bone fragments grind against each other again. He gritted his teeth and tried to stabilize his arm. Gloved hands covered his own.

 

Blue looked up to see the strange skeleton eyeing his arm with concern. Then the stranger sighed.

 

“BROKEN?” 

 

Blue nodded. 

 

“WHICH BONE?”

 

Blue said, “I’M NOT SURE. I THINK IT’S MY SCAPULA.”

 

The stranger nodded and said, “REMOVE YOUR SHIRT. I’LL GET THE KIT.”

 

Stretch pushed his way between them, causing Blue’s shoulder to grind even further. The way it was moving made Blue wonder if his collarbone might have been broken, too.

 

Stretch seethed, “what makes you think you’re going to get my brother to do anything? you’ve just dragged us across half the underground and you think-”

 

Blue interrupted him, exhausted, “STRETCH. THIS PLACE LOOKS A LOT LESS...CIVILIZED THAN HOME, AND I’M INJURED. HE’S JUST TRYING TO HELP. CAN YOU AT LEAST WAIT TO YELL AT HIM UNTIL WE KNOW HIS NAME?”

 

Stretch opened his mouth to argue and closed it. His eye lights still looked like they were on the edge of something. An attack? A scream? A whimper? It could go any way. Stretch was scared, and when Stretch got scared, he lashed out. But Blue didn’t have the energy to deal with his attitude today.

 

“IT’S EDGE.”

 

Both brothers turned to look at Edge. He was holding a torn sheet, a bandage roll, and some wood splinters. 

 

“MY NAME IS EDGE, AND,” Here Edge handed the first aid supplies to a bewildered Stretch, “IF IT MAKES YOU MORE COMFORTABLE, YOU CAN DO IT.”

 

“i, uh...don’t know how,” Stretch admitted as Blue began to pull off his shirt.

 

“THEN...MAY I HELP?” Edge asked.

 

Blue pointedly said said, “YOU CAN, EDGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS, AND MY NAME IS BLUE.”

 

Stretch turned, saw that Blue already had his shirt off, and blushed. Edge stepped forward and examined Blue’s entire shoulder. Then he grabbed both sides of Blue’s clavicle carefully.

 

“THIS IS GOING TO HURT,” he warned.

 

“I KNOW,” Blue said, “JUST GET IT OVER WITH.”

 

Edge didn’t even count it down. He just forced the two ends of Blue’s clavicle back together. Blue winced. Stretch fainted.

 

Edge didn’t turn when Stretch thumped on the floor. He was too busy wrapping, splinting, and then rewrapping Blue’s clavicle. He didn’t look down when he was done, either. He just stepped behind Blue and slid pieces of bone until they were in a more satisfying position. Then he grabbed the sheet, used it to make a sling around Blue’s left arm, and tied it off. Then he wrapped the sling tight to Blue’s chest, completely immobilizing the arm.

 

“IS THAT ACCEPTABLE, BLUE?” Edge asked.

 

Blue twisted and dodged. The setup didn’t budge. He smiled at Edge and said, “PERFECT.”

 

Edge turned away quickly. “WELL THEN, I’LL LEAVE YOU TO...WAKE UP YOUR BROTHER. WE’LL NEED MORE FOOD IF YOU’RE TO STAY HERE UNTIL YOU CAN FIX THE MACHINE. I’M AFRAID IT’S NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. THERE’S A BED UPSTAIRS. I’LL TAKE THE COUCH DOWN HERE.”

 

Blue said, guiltily, “YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT.”

 

Edge was already halfway to the door. He lifted the bar and said, “I SLEEP DOWN HERE ANYWAY. JUST...TAKE YOUR BROTHER UPSTAIRS. THERE’S LASAGNA IN THE FRIDGE.”

 

With that, Edge was out the door and shutting it behind him. Blue sighed and looked around. The kitchen was across from the front door. A couch was shoved against the opposite wall. A TV sat in the middle of the room. A table and chairs were against the right wall. The stairs were against the left. A thick, red rug lay underneath it all. Stretch was sprawled on the edge of it.

 

Blue went and got a glass of water from the sink. Some of the bandages got splashed, but he filled it in the end. Then he walked back over and splashed it on Stretch’s face.

 

“wha- blue?” Stretched started awake.

 

“EDGE HELPED ME FIX THE BONES YOU BROKE. THERE’S LASAGNA FOR YOU IN THE FRIDGE. I’M GOING UPSTAIRS TO BED. EDGE SHOULD BE BACK SOON. YOU CAN APOLOGIZE IN THE MORNING.”

 

With that, Blue turned on his heels, walked over to the stairs, and climbed out of sight of the stunned brother still dripping on the floor. 


	2. Breakfast for Two

Blue woke up with a groan. His arm hurt like nobody’s business. The crack on his scapula was the worst of it. He’d gone to sleep on his side, but at some point he must have rolled over. He really should see about finding some healing food to eat, or at least find some painkillers. Then he could block it out.

 

The smaller skeleton sat up and looked around the room. Only one bed, double wide, graced the room. There was also only one window in the right wall. It was lots of little panes in an iron framework with holes too small for anything to fit through. The door that led to the staircase was in the corner of the room nearest the window. Another door opposite the window led to a closet. It was bare. The walls themselves were panelled in some kind of wood, oak or pine maybe, that had been stained dark and almost red. There had to be insulation behind them, because Blue hadn’t felt the cold at all.

 

The floor, too, was dark stained wood. It was a slightly lighter color. The planks were narrower. Rugs were scattered here and there. Most were water-stained fake fur, probably salvaged from the dump. One of these rugs held Blue’s brother.

 

Stretch was curled up under a towel. He looked sad, curled up on the floor like that. It reminded Blue of a time long gone, when Stretch had slept on whatever scraps of cloth Blue had managed to scavenge that day. They were always wet, and it was never enough to fully cover Stretch. The only reason Blue didn’t feel guilty about that was that he’d been sleeping without any coverings, keeping guard against whatever might try to take his brother away from him.

 

Blue let himself relax. No one was going to hurt Stretch again, not if Blue could help it. Broken bones or no broken bones, Blue was tough enough to take on anyone. Or at least, he thought he could. He might not win, but he could drag the fight out long enough for Stretch to escape.

 

Blue flung back the covers with his good hand and started scooting over towards Stretch. He needed his brother right now. Stretch was calm. He was a rock in stormy seas. Blue might occasionally bash himself on it a little too hard, but that was his fault, not Stretch’s. It was never Stretch’s fault. Blue just had a hard time remembering all the triggers that set his brother off. Triggers like someone holding his bad shoulder.

 

Blue was standing just next to his brother when Stretch’s eyes blinked open. His brother rubbed his sockets, looked around, and fixated on his brother. He blushed as he eyed his naked ribs, then choked on a swear word when he saw the bandage.

 

“blue? are you...are you okay?” Stretch said, his voice small.

 

Blue nodded as he kneeled down.

 

“JUST A BREAK, STRETCH. I’LL BE HEALED UP IN A FEW WEEKS.”

 

Stretch gulped and looked away. He mumbled, “good. that’s...good. why didn’t alphys just heal it?”

 

Blue felt so disappointed in his brother. Then again, he’d never been that quick to wake up in the morning.

 

“SHE DIDN’T DO IT, STRETCH. YOU DID.”

 

Stretch’s face was a mask of guilt. His eye lights slid away from Blue’s and his skull retreated into his shoulders. He muttered, “i’m sorry i hurt you. i’m so, so sorry. who bandaged you up?”

 

Blue sighed. He’d really hoped his brother would have been better than this. He said, “DO YOU REMEMBER ANYTHING FROM LAST NIGHT AT ALL?”

 

“i…” Stretch hesitated. His eye lights flickered as he tried to muster up any kind of a memory. He said slowly, “...we were fighting. you told alphys about us dating. why would you do that? it’s illeg-”

 

“-STRETCH. STAY ON TOPIC,” Blue said simply.

 

Stretch scowled at him and said, “don’t interrupt me.”

 

Blue sucked in a breath and let out. He was better than this. He had to be better than this. He said, slowly, “I’M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU, STRETCH. CAN YOU PLEASE MOVE PAST OUR FIGHT TO THE REST OF LAST NIGHT?”

 

Stretch’s face scrunched up, but he did it. He continued his narrative. 

 

“i...went down to the basement to work on the machine. you followed me. we were still fighting. i- you grabbed my bad shoulder. you know, the one he...yeah. i don’t really remember much after that? something about the machine...oh gods. it worked! the machine, it actually worked! we landed out by my station, only it wasn’t my station, it was the other guy’s station. he looked a lot like me. looks like me. and he took us back to his house, and...his name is edge, isn’t it?”

 

Blue nodded and said, “YES, BROTHER. HIS NAME IS EDGE. HE HELPED ME BANDAGE MY ARM AND LEFT TO GET FOOD. I LEFT YOU DOWNSTAIRS, BUT YOU MUST HAVE COME UP AT SOME POINT. DID YOU EAT ANYTHING BEFORE YOU DID?”

 

Stretch looked slightly less guilty than he had before.

 

“yeah, i was feeling pretty worked up, so i had one of my special brownies. i got super hungry like always, so i ate a couple of containers of lasagna from the fridge. maybe more.”

 

Blue scowled at his brother and said, “STRETCH! THAT’S RUDE - WHAT IF HE HAD BEEN SAVING THEM FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION? YOU DON’T JUST EAT SOMEONE ELSE’S FOOD!”

 

Stretch shrugged. He said, “dunno, bro. the whole fridge was packed tight with lasagna. i barely even made a dent.”

 

“STILL,” Blue huffed, “IT’S VERY POOR ETIQUETTE.”

 

“yeah, well...actually, i’m kinda hungry now,” Stretch said thoughtfully.

 

Blue narrowed his eye lights at his brother and said, “YOU ARE NOT EATING ANY MORE OF HIS LASAGNA WITHOUT ASKING!”

 

Stretch got to his feet like a baby giraffe standing up for the first time. He dusted off his hoodie, dropped the towel on the rug, and started towards the door.

 

Blue, disgusted, picked the towel up and took it over to the laundry hamper near the door. Then he ran to his brother and leaned his full weight into keeping Stretch from getting through that doorway. It didn’t slow Stretch down in the slightest. 

 

He pushed Blue out of the room and down the hall, smiling all the while. Blue huffed and tried to push back, but the corner of his mouth was fighting not to turn up. Moments like these made them remember what it was like to be brothers. Stretch was forever doing silly things to try and make his brother laugh, and Blue was constantly trying to keep his brother from doing things that were too dangerous or rude. It was what siblings do.

 

Only when they reached the top of the stairs did Stretch stop. Blue quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw the two heaping plates laid out on the table below. Some kind of jar sat between them. A candle maybe?

 

“is that for us?” Stretch asked incredulously.

 

Blue frowned. He let up on the pressure he was putting on Stretch by standing up straight. He was a bit more than two-thirds of Stretch’s height. Stretch would have been 6’2” if he wasn’t slouching. Blue was 4’5”.

 

“I DON’T KNOW. IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS. AND,” Blue quickly scanned the lower floor, “I DON’T SEE OUR HOST.”

 

Stretch planted both of his hands on Blue’s shoulder. He liked to pretend he was taller than he was and lean on his brother to see. This time, though, he remembered Blue’s broken bones and lifted his hands off before he’d put any weight on them. He just stood on his tiptoes to peer over Blue instead. 

 

“is that a note underneath the jam jar?” Stretch asked.

 

Blue rolled his eyes. “DO YOU SEE MY GLASSES ON ME? NO? SO I CAN’T SEE THAT WELL. I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT WAS A JAM JAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOME KIND OF CANDLE, LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE.”

 

Stretch walked around him and started down the stairs. “nope, definitely a jam jar. some kind of red berry, can’t tell from here. the plates have bacon and toast on them.”

 

“I CAN SEE THAT. I’M NOT BLIND, JUST HALF-BLIND,” Blue said. 

 

Stretch chuckled as he walked over to the table. “you know, it has been a while since you’ve had your eyes tested. when we get home, you should go in. heck, i’ll come in with you. please?”

 

Blue shook his head. “MY VISION IS FINE AS IT IS, AND YOURS IS BETTER.”

 

Stretch pulled out the note from underneath the strawberry jam jar and read it out loud. “blue and stretch. i could not wait longer for you this morning; i pulled first shift. the food i left on the table is for you. if you are still hungry afterward, eat some of the lasagna in the fridge. i have left the basement key under the mat by the front door. i will be out very late tonight. you can go ahead and eat without me. stay safe, edge.”

 

“THAT’S AN ODD SIGN OFF. STAY SAFE. I SUPPOSE IT MAKES SENSE IN A WORLD LIKE THIS, BUT IT’S...ODD.”

 

Stretch shrugged. “different universe, different greetings. or phrasings, i guess. can we go eat?”

 

Blue sighed. Stretch was always thinking with his stomach. He ate so much it made Blue wince. He’d even competed in eating contests before. He’d never won, but he’d gotten in second place three times. 

 

“YES, STRETCH, WE CAN EAT. BUT WASH YOUR HANDS FIRST!”

 

Stretch amiably walked into the kitchen. Blue heard the sink start running. Then Stretch said, “uh, bro? i don’t think you want me washing my hands with this.”

 

Blue hurried into the kitchen, ready to scold his brother for trying to get out of washing his hands. Then he saw the water. He was used to water coming out of the sink clear and clean. This was not the case. The water was grey-ish brown. It had to be full of dirt, Blue decided. He knew his father had been the one to invent the water filters for the Underground. Had that not happened here? He’d have to ask Edge about what his father had done before the accident. In the meantime, he would look around the house for the parts he needed to build the water filter. 

 

“I GUESS, SINCE THE WATER IS SO DIRTY, THAT WE CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT WASHING OUR HANDS JUST THIS ONCE. BUT I’M GOING TO MAKE ONE OF DAD’S WATER FILTERS BEFORE LUNCHTIME!”

 

Stretch looked uncertain. “you sure you want to do that? we won’t be here that long once i get my hands on the machine.”

 

Blue sat down at the far side of the table and gave his brother an angry look. 

 

“DAD WOULD BE SO DISAPPOINTED WITH YOU.”

 

Stretch sat down and hung his head. He apologized, “sorry, bro. i know you and him liked to help people. just come down to the basement if you need any help.”

 

Blue reached over and unscrewed the cap off the jam jar. Then he began spreading it on the piece of toast. “GOOD. NOW THAT THAT’S SETTLED, LET’S EAT.”


	3. Missing Parts and Jumped Conclusions

Time had passed. Days, in fact - fifteen of them. A few days of extra shifts Blue could understand, but fifteen? His universe had a rule that no one could pull the early shift more than ten days in a row. After that, it started to mess with your health. 

 

So Edge was definitely avoiding them. Blue wondered why. He also wondered where Edge’s brother was. Blue had a brother who looked like Edge, so shouldn’t Edge have a brother who looked like Blue? Maybe the other was working in another part of the Underground. It was a big place, after all. Sentries and Guards were posted throughout the length and breadth of it. It was possible that the other Sans was on duty. Blue was ignoring the the part of him that said the other Sans was dead, and he was completely blocking out the whisper that Edge might have killed him. 

 

Blue slapped his face lightly to knock the bad thoughts out. He was currently sitting alone in the living room. The TV was on in front of him. The entertainment options here were decidedly murderous, but it was better than rereading all the books in the house (which he already had).

 

At least Stretch was having fun. He was down in the basement, working on the machine. That first day he’d come up with a scowl.

 

* * *

 

_ “it’s just a skeleton of what our one is, bro. someone must have taken out every single piece of useful machinery. it’ll take months, maybe a year. we’ll have to ask him to get us parts, though I doubt he’ll agree. what’s the point if all it’s going to do is get rid of a few weird houseguests?” _

 

_ Blue stamped his foot. “PAPPY, THAT’S RUDE! JUST BECAUSE HE COMES FROM A WORLD THAT IS NOT NICE DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE’S SELFISH! HE TOOK US INTO HIS HOME AND HAS BEEN FEEDING US. AND HE EVEN SAID YOU COULD WORK ON THE MACHINE. SURELY HE WON’T REFUSE TO GIVE YOU THE PARTS YOU NEED.” _

 

_ Stretch looked at him patronizingly. Blue hated when he did that!  _

 

_ “and how do you know he will? he’s done nothing to show us that he’s kind.” _

 

_ Blue harrumphed. “HOW DO YOU KNOW HE WON’T? I JUST TOLD YOU ALL THE REASONS HE WILL! I WISH YOU WOULD STOP JUDGING PEOPLE ON SO LITTLE EVIDENCE.” _

 

_ “sorry, bro.” _

 

* * *

 

That had ended the conversation. But it hadn’t ended Stretch’s doubts. He kept making disparaging comments at every opportunity. Blue was more than a little sick of it. He wanted to give the rough skeleton the benefit of the doubt, not dismiss him entirely because of the world he came from. They hadn’t even gotten to explore yet. Stretch wasn’t even judging on that much experience. He was going off a bad first meeting. So rude.

 

Speaking of Edge, Blue was surprised when the front door creaked open and the scarred skeleton came in the door. He stopped just inside the door and pulled it closed. Then he started removing his armour and boots, seemingly unaware of Blue’s presence.

 

Blue coughed quietly. Edge froze in the middle of taking off his breastplate and spun. Blue lifted his unbroken hand up. Edge forced himself to relax. 

 

“OH. BLUE. I FORGOT YOU WOULD BE HERE.”

 

Blue lowered his hand and gulped. Now that Edge was here, all the questions and good intentions that had been building up in his mind were evaporating. What was he going to say?

 

“I- UM- THANK YOU FOR LETTING US STAY IN YOUR HOUSE! IT IS VERY NICE.”

 

Edge blinked, startled by the loud outburst. Then he sighed. “DON’T MENTION IT. I WOULD HARDLY HAVE LEFT YOU OUT IN THE COLD. YOU ARE CLEARLY VERSIONS OF ME AND...MY BROTHER. YOU HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, HERE. ALONG THAT LINE, HOW IS YOUR RESTORATION OF THE MACHINE GOING?”

 

Blue answered, “AS WELL AS COULD BE EXPECTED. MY BROTHER IS WORKING ON IT, SO IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR YOU TO ASK HIM. I DO KNOW IT WAS JUST A FRAMEWORK WHEN HE STARTED ON IT. HE MENTIONED NEEDING PARTS?”

 

Edge huffed. Blue was watching him, looking for the signs that he might decide to ignore the need for parts, or worse, decide that keeping them around was no longer worth it. 

 

Edge was already reaching for his armour. What was he going to do?

 

“I’LL TAKE HIM. THE DUMP IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO GO ALONE. WE CAN EASILY PICK UP THE PARTS WE NEED AND BE BACK HERE BEFORE ANYONE TAKES AN INTEREST.”

 

Blue let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Edge was being a good person, just like he’d thought he would. So much for Stretch’s little pet theory. Oh.

 

“UM, THERE MIGHT BE A BIT OF A PROBLEM WITH THAT. MY BROTHER IS...OH, HOW DO I PUT THIS,” Blue hummed for a moment, “MY BROTHER IS VERY JUDGEMENTAL. HE SORT OF HAS TO BE, WITH HIS JOB, BUT...HE HAS GOTTEN IN THE HABIT OF JUDGING PEOPLE ON VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE. AND HE HAS- WITH YOU, I MEAN- ALREADY DECIDED THAT YOU ARE. NOT GOOD? AS IN HE THINKS YOU ARE BAD.”

 

“OH,” Edge sagged a little, which only drew attention to the fact that he had been standing at tension. He looked...depressed, but not surprised.

 

Blue jumped into the silence to try and cheer their host up, “I DON’T THINK YOU’RE BAD. I THINK YOU’RE GOOD! HE JUST...JUMPED TO CONCLUSIONS. AGAIN. BUT I’M SURE YOU CAN CHANGE HIS MIND IF YOU TRY!”

 

Edge didn’t look very enthusiastic about this. His shoulders were still sagged and his chin was almost touching his neck. Blue hated it. His brother could be so careless. Yes, there was no way Stretch could have known that it would have such a big impact on Edge. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t rude! And the lack of energy on Edge’s face made Blue want to perk him up. It hurt that someone, even a stranger, could be so hurt by something Blue had said.

 

“HEY, DON’T WORRY. I’LL GO TO THE DUMP WITH YOU! I’M SURE HE CAN WRITE US A LIST OR SOMETHING,” Blue injected his voice with cheer.

 

“NO,” Edge said firmly, “NOT WITH THAT ARM. YOU’D BE USELESS IN AN ATTACK.”

 

Blue huffed, “I’D BE MORE USEFUL IN AN ATTACK THAN MY BROTHER. HE’S SUCH A LAZYBONES. HE NEVER TRAINS WITH HIS ATTACKS, SO THEY ONLY DO ONE DAMAGE. YOU’D BE BETTER OFF TO TAKE ME. AND I’VE TRAINED TO FIGHT WITH ONE ARM. I CAN HELP!”

 

“REALLY?” Edge said doubtfully, “AND HOW EXACTLY DO YOU PLAN ON PROVING THAT?”

 

Blue glared at him, but there was no menace in it. He just disliked that the other was doubting his word. He had enough of that in his life. “THROW AN ATTACK AT ME. THAT WILL-”

 

“NO!” Edge looked absolutely horrified. Then he shook his head and said, softer, “NO. I WON’T.”

 

Blue sighed. “THEN I DON’T KNOW HOW TO PROVE IT TO YOU. MAYBE I COULD THROW AN ATTACK AT YOU?”

 

Edge looked thoughtful. He eyed Blue up and down, but it felt more like when Alphys was sizing him up for the day’s activities than when someone was deciding if he was worth buying dinner for or not.

 

“GIVE ME YOUR STRONGEST ATTACK PATTERN,” Edge finally said.

 

Blue grinned and summoned up a hoard of bone attacks. Then he threw them at Edge, alternating top, bottom, and speed for several minutes. Edge dodged them without too much difficulty, but he did take a few hit. When the attack was over, the taller skeleton gave him an appraising look. Then he nodded.

 

“YOU’LL DO. I’VE BEEN ORDERED TO TAKE TOMORROW OFF, SO BE PREPARED TO LEAVE AT 6. THE BIG GANGS DON’T LIKE TO GET UP BEFORE NOON.”

 

Blue fought the urge to pump a fist up in the air as the other turned around and slinked into the kitchen. He had the feeling that getting this respect from Edge was something to be proud of. He couldn’t wait to tell his brother about this. Hopefully it’d help change his opinion on Edge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come join me on Twitter @yastaghr or on Tumblr at yastaghr.tumblr.com


	4. The Dump

Drip. Drip. Drip-drip. Drip. Slow, quiet rain fell down from the cave ceiling and dripped down onto the Waterfall floors. Sometimes it fell in the big mountains of grey sludge shoveled up against the walls. Sometimes it fell in the narrow path between. It was so narrow that only one monster could walk in either direction at any given time. 

 

What that meant was that Blue had to walk behind Edge on a very narrow track. He also had to make sure there was no one behind them. An ambush would be awful. Luckily he could hear if anyone was coming because of the large amount of puddles, or, more accurately, streams.

 

Blue was taken aback when the skeleton in front of him wasn’t there the next time he looked forward. He stopped dead, but before he could summon a weapon he saw that to his right was the entrance of the dump. He dodged into it, but ran into something bigger than him. His shoulder burned. When he looked Blue could see that it was Edge who he’d run into. Edge flashed him the barest sliver of a smile.

 

Blue stepped around to the side of Edge and his jaw dropped open. Everything was gone. He was used to there being hundreds of piles in an area almost as big as Snowdin. Instead there were only a handful of them, all the way towards the waterfall into the abyss. 

 

“WHERE IS ALL THE TRASH?”

 

Edge stopped and gave him a weird look. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN? 

 

“I MEAN,” Blue gestured out at the expanse of empty water, “THE DUMP IS EMPTY. THERE SHOULD BE PILES OF GARBAGE ALL OVER. WHY ARE THERE ONLY A FEW?”

 

Edge tilted his head. Then he shrugged and said, “THE GANGS THAT RULE HERE TAKE EVERY LAST SCRAP OF MATERIAL TO SELL IN THE CAPITOL. THEY CHARGE RIDICULOUSLY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THEM, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE SO EARLY.”

 

Blue blinked. The idea that there were gangs at all was an alien one. The closest thing to a gang back home was the teenagers who were living in the Snowdin forest. 

 

“OH. THAT’S...OKAY THEN. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING SO MUCH EFFORT INTO THIS.”

 

Edge sighed and set off through the calf-deep water. “PLEASE DON’T THANK ME. OR COMPLIMENT ME. I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO...THINK OF ME AS SOFT.”

 

Blue’s eyes narrowed. His head started working on figuring out what Edge had originally been going to say. Was it just been a moment of word-loss? He doubted that was it as much as he doubted that this world was so unforgiving as to not have compliments. Maybe Edge didn’t like them? What else could it have been? 

 

He walked in that weird shuffling, bow-legged gait that was the only reasonable way to walk in water. He couldn’t be as quiet with it as Edge was doing, but he wasn’t loud, either.

 

They were walking for quite some time before Blue realized that they weren’t alone. Up ahead was a tall monster. They were wearing full body armor, so Blue couldn’t make out much more about them. Edge seemed to know them, though. He went right over and clasped forearms with the helmeted monster. It made Blue think of his own greetings with Alphys.

 

“IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU, CAPTAIN.”

 

“You too, nerd. You’ve been skipping out on our training sessions. Being on duty is no excuse. I expect to see you at my house tomorrow after- who is that?”

 

The only reason Blue didn’t flinch when the helmeted stranger summoned a hundred spears to threaten him from all directions was that Alph had trained the startle response out of him. He smiled widely as if the spears weren’t even there. 

 

“HI! MY NAME IS BLUE. ME AND MY BROTHER, STRETCH, LANDED HERE AFTER AN ACCIDENT WITH A MACHINE. EDGE HAS BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE US IN.”

 

The unknown monster turned their head towards Edge. He nodded, backing Blue up.

 

“Ugh, fine. I guess I won’t kill you then. How long until you’re out of my hair?”

 

Blue shrugged. The shrug turned into a wince when his broken scapula and collarbone protested. That had not been a good idea. It hurt, but not enough to prevent him from answering, “MY BROTHER IS WORKING ON FIXING THE MACHINE HERE. WE ARE GETTING HIM PARTS NOW.”

 

“Then I might as well help you. After all, the sooner you get the parts, the sooner you will be gone. Give me the list,” The other demanded.

 

Blue passed it over, saying, “I HAVE A PICTURE OF IT ON MY PHONE.”

 

Edge and the stranger both stared at him. eventually the stranger asked, “You have a phone? You must be a member of your Royal Guard, then.”

 

Blue scrunched up his face in confusion. “UM, NO? I’M IN TRAINING TO BE A GUARD HEALER WITH CAPTAIN ALPHYS, BUT I’VE HAD A PHONE FOR AGES. EVERYONE I KNOW HAS ONE.”

 

Edge said, incredulously, “DID YOU JUST SAY  _ CAPTAIN ALPHYS? _ ”

 

Blue nodded. The helmeted stranger burst out laughing. “Next you’re going to tell me Asgore isn’t the king!”

 

“UM, YES? I MEAN, HE IS, BUT HE LEFT TO GO LIVE IN THE RUINS A LONG TIME AGO. EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORN. QUEEN TORIEL IS THE RULER OF THE UNDERGROUND - AT LEAST, SHE IS IN MY WORLD. IS THAT NOT TRUE HERE?”

 

The other two both shook their heads. “Nope. Dude, your world is messed up.”

 

Blue nodded thoughtfully. “IT IS DIFFERENT THAN HERE, CERTAINLY. MAY I PLEASE, UM, MAKE A GUESS?” The others nodded, and he went on, “BY ANY CHANCE, WOULD YOUR NAME HAPPEN TO BE UNDYNE?”

 

“It is, but I usually go by Felldyne,” the newly discovered Felldyne admitted, “What’s it to you?”

 

“I HAVE JUST BEEN GOING THROUGH SEVERAL COMPLICATED WAYS TO REFER TO YOU IN MY HEAD. IT IS NICE TO BE ABLE TO USE AN ACTUAL NAME.”

 

“What does your Undyne do, then?” Felldyne asked curiously.

 

Blue smiled. “SHE’S THE ROYAL SCIENTIST. I HAVEN’T DEALT WITH HER MUCH MYSELF, BUT I KNOW SHE IS A FRIEND OF MY BROTHER’S.”

 

Edge shook his head. “OUR ALPHYS, WHOM WE CALL SCALES, IS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST. IT IS HARD TO PICTURE HER AS DOING ANYTHING PHYSICAL. SHE IS EXTREMELY CLUMSY AND SHORT-SIGHTED.”

 

“I COULD SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT UNDYNE. NO OFFENSE MET, BUT SHE LITERALLY WALKED INTO HER OWN CHAIR ONCE.”

 

Felldyne laughed. “Guess our worlds really are swapped.”

 

Blue nodded. “THAT’S ALMOST A PERFECT WAY TO DESCRIBE IT. BUT I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE. NO OFFENSE, BUT THIS WORLD IS SO MUCH MORE ROUGH AND VIOLENT. THERE’S SO MUCH DUST YOU HAVE TO SHOVEL IT!”

 

Both of the others tilted their heads. Felldyne’s tilt caused a metal screech. Once it was over, Edge said, “IS THAT...NOT THE CASE IN YOUR WORLD?”

 

Blue shook his head, gripping the edge of his shirt tightly in one hand. He felt along the worn edge. He’d been wearing this shirt for 16 days now. There was no laundry machine in the house. Every wash with the now-filtered water took a little bit more of his shirt with it. But he didn’t want to mention this to Edge. They were imposing enough on him already. 

 

“NO. IT’S RARE THAT THERE’S MORE THAN ONE DUSTING A YEAR. AND-”

 

Hurried footsteps behind him cut him off. All three turned, two with magic attacks summoned and at the ready. Far off, in the path that leads to the dump, a brief snapshot of a running monster in brown leather could be seen. A few seconds later, two more figures in the same shade of brown trotted past. Blue could feel the other two stiffen.

 

“Okay. Edge? Get the far pile. Blue, you cover the one right here. I’ll keep watch and make sure no one sneaks up on you two. Get going!”

 

Edge saluted and ran off towards the distant pile. Blue went to go to the one behind her, but she stopped him with an arm. 

 

Once he was near, she quietly said, “Look, I don’t know you. You might be the worst person I’ve ever known. But he seems to trust you, and right now, you’re closer to him than me, so I have to ask: Take care of Edge. Please. He’s been through a lot.”

 

He didn’t even have to think about it. “I’LL TRY.”

 

“Good. Oh, and while you’re at it, get him to come to his training sessions. Not that I don’t trust you, but...well, I don’t trust you. I want to be able to see him for myself.”

 

Blue smiled. “I CAN DO THAT.”

 

“Good. Now go get going! The gangs will be here soon.”

 

He did just that. He didn’t want to get in a fight anymore than she did. 


	5. Grey as Dust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My concussion has finally healed enough for me to write. Sorry for taking so long!

Four days had passed. Stretch had pointed out just this morning that they had been in this hellhole (Stretch’s words, not his) for twenty days. That seemed like a lot, but at the same time it didn’t seem like enough. So much had happened once Felldyne had met them. Blue had been going over there everyday for training. He’d even managed to drag Edge with him! It was nice to see Edge relaxed for once. Being around Felldyne made it clear that Edge needed help. 

 

They’d just left Felldyne’s now. If he could have flown, Blue was sure he would be doing so.  He’d actually managed to knock her off her feet. She’d been impressed, too. She’d called him champ. She hadn’t even called Edge that. 

 

Blue snuck a glance at Edge as they walked through the shallow backwaters of the river. Edge made sure they never took the same way home twice. It made sense. They were a target for every gang from here to the Capitol. Felldyne had made it clear that Edge was her second in command as well as her friend. If the gangs could take out one or both of them then the guard would be seriously affected. 

 

What Blue saw when he looked at Edge wasn’t good. Edge looked exhausted. He’d looked exhausted the entire time they had been there. It went away a bit when Felldyne was around. But the minute they left it was back to exhaustion.

 

Blue had tried to help his...well, his friend. If Edge got more sleep, wouldn’t he be less tired? That seemed logical to him, but it didn’t seem to be working. ** Edge only seemed to get more tired every time Blue looked at him. It was frustrating. Blue wanted to help his friend, but he didn’t know how!

 

Maybe he needed more information. What if something happened to Edge? What if someone hurt him? Felldyne had said to take care of him. Maybe she meant that literally? But then why wasn’t Edge’s brother helping?

 

“EDGE,” Blue asked before the thought ran away, “WHERE IS YOUR SANS?”

 

* * *

 

In the depths of the basement, Stretch cursed creatively. He held his thumb and curled around it as he hopped in a circle. Then he tripped over the big wrench and fell flat on his back. After another fervent curse left him, Stretch panted hard to catch his breath. 

 

Suddenly the absurdity of the situation struck him. Here he was, working away at a machine that fought him at every turn. His thumb had gotten pinched for the fourth time today, and he’d reacted to it like a big baby. It didn’t even hurt that bad. And while he was reacting like a baby of course he would find the biggest obstacle on the floor to trip over. He probably looked like the big baby he was acting like. He chuckled a bit at himself. He really was an idiot.

 

Once his laughter had trickled to a stop, Stretch got his hands in front of him to help him stand. This new position allowed him to see a small jar in the bottom of the counters’ shelves. He could have sworn it hadn’t been there before. Maybe it had stuff in it? It couldn’t hurt to have a look.

 

Stretch grabbed the jar and pulled it into his lap. It was surprisingly heavy, and Stretch almost dropped it. What did it have in there, bolts? The sides of the glass were all scratched up and dusty, so he couldn’t see in. He kind of hoped there were bolts. Finding good metal that wasn’t bent or rusty with age was apparently too hard of a task for their thundercloud of a host. Stretch knew Blue was trying his best, but that monster…Stretch shook his head to clear the thoughts. If he started that again he would never get anything done. 

 

Suddenly, the silver lid that was capping the jar came loose. Stretch tried shaking it next to his skull, but the only noise it made was a little bit of puffing. Maybe it was flour, then? It sounded like flour, but why would you keep a jar of flour on the lowest shelf in your basement?

 

With a little pop the cap came loose. Stretch let it fall to the ground. A little bit of the grey powder from the jar slid out after it. Stretch tucked two fingers into the jar and felt around, sending more of it puffing all over Stretch and the floor. It felt a little grainy under his fingers. Maybe some water or oil had gotten in? What was it, anyway? He put his fingers to his tongue to give it a taste. He spit it out almost immediately. That was a taste no one wanted on their tongue. 

 

Stretch shoved the jarful of monster Dust off of his lap. It slid over to the cabinets and fell over. Dust spilled over everything. Stretch desperately tried to brush it off his clothes, but nothing he did seemed to help. 

 

He was seriously starting to panic now. What kind of sick person kept a jar of Dust in their basement? How many monster would it take to fill that big of a jar? Was he safe here? Was Blue safe here? Oh stars, Blue was with that maniac. What if he killed him? Blue’s dust might never make it home to his favorite puzzle. He had to save him. He had to do something!

 

* * *

 

_ The cold wind blew against two huddled figures in a clearing in the scorched trees. All around them it stirred grey and red, dust and blood. The snow was melting over the heat of it. As it did, the blood mixed with the melting snow to form pink rivers flowing towards the cliffs.  _

 

_ Edge shivered in the biting cold. It was funny how it never got to him before, but now it did. All his life he’d been ambivalent to the temperature of his bones. But now, in this moment, he knew he would never be warm enough again. The chill just kept creeping deeper. It froze his marrow in place and stopped several cuts from bleeding as they should. They froze Red’s cuts, too.  _

 

_ Edge knew his brother better than he knew himself. He knew that smile was fake by the curve of his left socket. It was a mask Red used only when he was deeply worried about something. Edge knew that arm would never be useful again because of the gritty, grainy feeling of something pouring into his boot. But Edge nodded along to Red’s denial like he actually believed a word of it. Edge knew Red’s spine was broken because of the angle of the column beneath his hands. Still he let his magic flow into it like it wasn’t a hopeless cause. And Edge knew Red wasn’t going to wake up again by the way his eye lights kept fading. But Edge recited their bedtime story like he’d be able to rouse him from their bed with a gentle touch.  _

 

_ Edge did a lot of things to comfort Red because he loved him. Not the haphazard, shallow love of brothers, but the deep, permeating love of bondmates. Edge would do anything to keep Red from being in pain, even if it meant accepting the way their soul-bond was crumbling.  _

 

_ So when Red closed his eyes and didn’t immediately fall to dust, Edge couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe it an hour later, when Felldyne found him among the remains of their attackers. He couldn’t believe it eight hours later, when the hospital staff gave him the room number and herded him gently into the room where his brother lay motionless. He couldn’t believe it a week later, when Felldyne dragged him out of his lobby and demanded he get back to work. He couldn’t believe it four months later, when his brother’s look-a-like had fallen into their world and spoken to him like a ghost.  _

 

_ He still couldn’t believe it now.  _

 

* * *

 

Blue didn’t think the question he had asked was threatening. It wasn’t meant to be threatening. He’d only wanted to satisfy his curiosity. So when Edge burst into tears and bolted away, Blue was just stunned. It wasn’t until Edge was around the corner into the dark mushroom maze that Blue reacted.

 

“Dang it,” Blue swore. Well, he didn’t really swear. He didn’t think there was any excuse for swearing with bad language. You could get everything you needed with less offensive words. 

 

Blue bolted on down the hallway, following the retreating sounds of Edge’s running feet into the dark maze of a room. 


	6. Breaking down

Blue’s feet pounded on the squishy, soft grass of the maze. He’d been trying to follow Edge, but all he had to go on was the sound of running boots ahead of him. The sound didn’t help him avoid the ditches and hillocks of the mushroom maze. He’d tripped and fallen so many times it was hard to count. His broken shoulder was angry at being jostled too much. But even that pain didn’t stop him from running after Edge. It only slowed him down.

 

The biggest challenge for him came when Edge stopped running ahead of him. The silence gave him no direction. Blue forced himself to stop running and stop breathing. Eventually he heard, over the pounding of his soul, the sobs of a distraught monster off to his right. Perfect. 

 

Blue walked as quietly as he could in the wet ground. It was growing wetter by the second. In a few steps he went from marshy grass to a creek deep enough to slosh over the sides of his boots. His sock was now sopping wet and his feet were cold, but it all was worth it if he could help Edge. Blue wasn’t sure he could. Edge sounded absolutely heartbroken...oh.

 

Edge huddled in the curve of the creek. His soul was cradled in his hands. It was deep mahogany red. One of the bells, though, appeared to be a brighter, cherry-colored red. At least, the part of it that remained was that color. About a third of that bell was missing. The edge was raw. Dust was trickling off the raw wound. It was still dissolving. Edge was trying to catch all the tumbling Dust with his gloved hands. It wasn’t working. His movements were almost frantic as he tried to stem the flow.

 

Blue swallowed. That was a horrible wound to have on a bond. The brightened section of the soul was the mark of a soul bond, and the sheer size of the area it took up signified that it was a deep bond. Thinking of such a bond dissolving was scary. They were meant to last forever. 

 

Blue reached up and started untying his bandanna. Stretch had given it to him a long time ago. He usually tried hard to keep it clean, but Edge needed it too much right now. He called out quietly, trying not to alert any gang members as to Edge’s vulnerable state, “EDGE? I’M GOING TO COME CLOSER TO YOU. I HAVE A PIECE OF CLOTH WE CAN USE AS A BANDAGE ON THAT...ON YOUR BOND. IS THAT OKAY? CAN I DO THAT?”

 

Edge stifled his sobs and turned towards Blue’s voice. His eye lights looked crazy, like he might throw an attack at Blue at any moment. The smaller skeleton raised his hands, showing off that he had no attacks, only a bandanna to tie around the wound. Edge calmed down. 

 

“GO AHEAD,” Edge whispered hoarsely, “I TRUST YOU NOT TO KILL ME.”

 

Blue stepped forward, crouching beside Edge and gently wrapping the soul in his bandanna. He tied it so the bell was as covered as possible. He could tell Edge didn’t want to lose the dust.

 

Blue asked sympathetically, “WHAT HURT HIM?”

 

Edge seemed to fold inward on himself even more than he already had. “HE- THERE WERE TWENTY OF THEM. THE RABBIT GANG ATTACKED. HE FOUGHT SO HARD, BUT HE...ONE OF THEM GOT HIM THROUGH HIS SHOULDER. HIS ARM, IT...IT DUSTED. I SCRAPED UP AS MUCH OF THE DUST AS I COULD. IT’S IN A JAR IN THE BASEMENT. YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE.”

 

Blue nodded with understanding. He knew it was hopeless, but Edge clearly needed something to do to try and help.

 

Edge continued, “THEN ANOTHER OF THEM GRABBED HIM BY THE SPINE AND...SHOOK. RED WAS FACING THE OTHER WAY. WHEN HE TRIED TO SHAKE THEM OFF THEY- HE- A COUPLE OF VERTEBRAE BROKE. REALLY BAD. THE DOCTORS SAY HE’S LUCKY THEY DIDN’T CRUMBLE AT ALL. BUT THEY...THEY…HE’S IN A COMA. IN THE HOSPITAL. THEY THINK HE’S PROBABLY GOING TO DIE. I DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP ON HIM, BUT...EVERY DAY HE STAYS THERE IS MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE. I’M ALREADY WORKING TO TRY AND PAY IT OFF, BUT...I CAN BARELY AFFORD THE MINIMUM PAYMENTS. IT ALL COSTS SO MUCH...I’M SCARED.”

 

Blue held out Edge’s soul to him. When Edge took it, Blue rummaged around in his pockets. He finally found what he was looking for. It was a bag full of gold.

 

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE, YOU KNOW. WE’VE BEEN RELYING SO MUCH ON YOUR HOSPITALITY. THE LEAST I CAN DO IS HELP YOU OUT FINANCIALLY. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF G. NOT A WHOLE LOT TO SPEND IT ON. SO, PLEASE, TAKE THIS.”

 

Edge stared at his offering as if it was an alien. Eventually his shock broke. He stuffed his soul back into his rib cage and took the bag. He watched with the fear that Blue would take it back.  

 

Blue didn’t. He made sure Edge had stuffed it into his inventory before he held out his hands for Edge to come into. Edge didn’t waste a whole lot of time before he fell into the hug. Blue let him sob it out. He was already having to wash the bandanna. Might as well wash the shirt, too.

 

* * *

 

Stretch sprinted down the snowy road through Snowdin. All around him, people turned to look at the loud sounds only to be too late to see the orange blur. When he was motivated, Stretch could move fast. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean he actually had any clue where he was going.

 

“blue! blue! blue, where are you?” Stretch called out at the top of his voice, which wasn’t very loud. 

 

He’d never been able to yell properly ever since an injury to his neck and jaw when he was younger. The bones of his neck were stripped of their transverse and spinous processes. His jaw had three different bumps where the bone had been broken and then healed back together. All of this happened because of the machine. It was the very first time he’d gotten it “working”, if by “working” you mean making weird clicking noises and then exploding. He was lucky he’d only come out of it with as few injuries as he did. 

 

Stretch almost tripped when he came out of the snow of the main road into town and onto the big bridge. He was forced to slow down. This bridge was clearly not as well maintained as the one back home. There were a dozen boards missing or broken on it. That was too many. 

 

Stretch continued shouting and tripping his way through the entire forest. He got funny looks from all the guardsmen, not that he noticed. He was too busy freaking out. He was too busy freaking out to even realise where he was until he ran smack-dab into the door to the Ruins. He stepped back, rubbing his head and seeing stars. He felt the hairline fractures on the surface of his skull and managed to piece together than he had a concussion. Then the dizziness set in and he crumbled to the ground. 


	7. Go Between

Stretch woke up to a world of grey. He could feel it trickling into his skull through his eye sockets and swirling around inside him. The patterns it made against the black of his mind were mesmerizing. They were also nauseating. He really needed somewhere to throw up.

Stretch blinked his eye lights and sat slowly up. The world was spinning and wobbling way more than it should have been, but he could just make out a snowy path and some trees. Great. He was so far away from a bathroom it burned. He’d have to make do with a hole behind a tree. He crawled a few feet into the forest and found an acceptable place to heave. Then he did so. He didn’t remember to bury it after. Rude.

Once that was over with, he crawled back onto the main path. He needed to find Blue. Blue would take care of him. If he could find Blue- oh. He was an idiot. He could just call Blue and ask him to come get him. He just had to…

Stretch propped himself up on the door and fiddled around in his giant cavern of a pocket. Finally he found his clunky old phone. Could he ask Blue for a new one yet? Maybe when they got home. For now, though, he needed to open it up and hold 1. There. It was ringing...and ringing...and ringing.

“BROTHER! WHAT’S WRONG? I’M A BIT TIED DOWN AT THE MOMENT. DID YOU RUN OUT OF PARTS?”

Good old Blue. Always answers his phone within three rings. If there was nothing else constant in the world, it was Blue and his three rings. He kept saying Stretch needed to answer his phone faster. Heh. Like that was ever going to happen.

“nah, bro. i’m super dizzy and way out by the ruins door. d’ya think you can come pick me up?”

Silence beat for a few seconds. Muffled voices sounded from the other side of the phone. Was Blue out training with that fucking murderer again? That asshole had better not hurt his brother.

“I’M SORRY, BROTHER. IT’LL TAKE ME AT LEAST AN HOUR TO GET TO YOU. PROBABLY TWO. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TELEPORT BACK TO THE HOUSE? WE’RE HEADING THERE NOW.”

Stretch scowled. Was his brother really too wrapped up in Edge to come get Stretch? They were boyfriends as well as brothers! He should be Blue’s first priority. Why was his brother so selfish?

“i think i’ve got a concussion, bro. don’t want to mess up the coordinates and end up halfway through a wall. you know how bad that turns out. we’ve seen it enough times in undyne’s animes, and then there was the time-”

“-I HAD TO CUT YOU OUT OF THE DRYWALL. I REMEMBER. I STILL HAVEN’T MANAGED TO GET THE DUST OUT OF YOUR CLOTHES.”

Stretch growled. He hated when Blue interrupted him. “what have i told you about interrupting me! i hate that! i finally get a full sentence lined up to go out my mouth and you interrupt me. now i’ve got all those words stuck on my tongue with nowhere to go. it feels so fucking weird.”

A sigh traveled through the phone connection. Blue sounded so tired. Had that bastard overworked him?

“I’M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING YOU. IF YOU’LL JUST WAIT THERE THEN I’LL COME AND GET YOU IN AN HOUR OR TWO. CAN YOU PLAY ON YOUR PHONE UNTIL I GET THERE? YOU STILL HAVE BATTERY, RIGHT?”

Stretch scoffed. “you know i’ve got one of the new ones. they run directly off ambient magical power. they don’t need batteries.”

“OH,” Blue’s voice came through almost flat, but Stretch chalked it up to bad cell reception, “THAT’S RIGHT. I FORGOT THE NEW ONES COULD DO THAT. WELL, SINCE YOU DON’T HAVE A BATTERY PROBLEM, YOU CAN PLAY ON YOUR PHONE UNTIL I GET THERE. IF LOOKING AT THE SCREEN HURTS YOU, THEN PLAY ONE OF YOUR AUDIOBOOKS. OKAY?”

Stretch settled into a comfortable position against the door. “i can do that. see you soon, bro. bye.”

 

* * *

 

 

Blue shoved open the stuck door of Edge’s house. The hinges squeaked. Blue made a mental note to oil them later. Right now he needed to get Edge into a bed and in a healing sleep. He could still remember the spell perfectly, and Edge really needed it.

“COME ON, EDGE. JUST THAT LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND YOU CAN LAY DOWN.”

Edge struggled weakly against Blue. “I DON’T NEED TO LAY DOWN. I’M PERFECTLY CAPABLE-”

Blue shook his head. “WE WENT TO TRAINING. YOU HAD A BIG CRY. YOUR SOUL BOND IS DUSTING. ALL OF THESE ARE GOOD REASONS TO TAKE A BREAK. YOU KNOW I’M ABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF. IT WON’T HURT FOR YOU TO REST A BIT.”

Edge searched Blue’s face for something. Blue knew all he saw was calm and cheer...and maybe a bit of fear that Edge would be angry that Blue had interrupted him. After all, Stretch hated when Blue interrupted him, and Edge was kind of a copy of Stretch. Blue didn’t want to lose his new friend over something like that.

“ALRIGHT. I’LL TAKE A NAP.”

When Edge said that, Blue felt his mood instantly lift. Edge hadn’t said anything about the interruption! And he’d agreed to do what Blue said! That made Blue feel good inside.

“THANK YOU. I MIGHT BE GONE FOR QUITE A BIT. STRETCH SAID HE IS ALL THE WAY OUT BY THE RUINS DOOR. SO I’LL HAVE TO WALK ALL THE WAY THERE AND THEN COME ALL THE WAY BACK WITH A CONCUSSED MONSTER IN TOW. SO I’LL PROBABLY BE AT LEAST AN HOUR AND A HALF, IF NOT TWO HOURS. IS THAT OKAY?”

Edge nodded as Blue lowered him carefully down to the couch. Blue made sure to have his clothes smooth underneath him. Stretch hated having to lay on anything creased.

“THAT IS FINE. I TRUST YOU TO STAY SAFE. AND...THANK YOU.”

Blue tilted his head at the laid out monster. Edge looked exhausted, even more so than usual. He looked like he could barely stay awake. Blue started gathering his magic in preparation for the healing spell.

“FOR WHAT, EDGE?”

Edge coughed. The slightest of blushes colored his cheekbones.

“FOR TAKING CARE OF ME, EVEN THOUGH I SHOWED WEAKNESS. FOR LISTENING TO MY STORY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HARD. AND FOR CARING ABOUT ME...ABOUT MY BROTHER...AND ABOUT EVERYONE IN THIS UNDERGROUND. THAT KIND OF COMPASSION IS RARELY SEEN HERE. SO...THANK YOU.”

It was Blue’s turn to blush, only his blush was bigger. He was so unused to compliments of that weren’t about his skill as a fighter or his skill in bed. It felt...nice.

“I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT ANYWAY. IT’S...IT’S A PART OF MY SOUL. MY DAD IS THE SAME WAY. WE JUST HAVE THIS NEED TO HELP PEOPLE. STRETCH DOESN’T SEEM TO HAVE IT, THOUGH. HE’S VERY...SELF-ABSORBED. BUT HE CAN BE NICE! HE CAN BE A HUGE ROMANTIC AT TIMES. HE BRINGS ME FLOWERS ON MY BIRTHDAY. HE’S ALSO GOT A HUGE SENSE OF JUSTICE. IT’S JUST, SOMETIMES, HE MAKES A JUDGEMENT TOO QUICKLY AND GETS HIMSELF IN TROUBLE.”

Edge chuckled. “LIKE WITH ME? I CAN HARDLY BLAME HIM. WITH MY LV...WELL. I’M HARDLY A NICE PERSON.”

Blue argued hotly, “YOU TOOK US INTO YOUR HOME. YOU WRAPPED MY ARM. YOU’VE FED US. YOU’VE TAKEN THE TIME TO GO SCROUNGE FOR PARTS IN THE DUMP. YOU’VE LET ME TRAIN WITH YOU. YOU’VE TRUSTED ME WITH YOUR BROTHER’S CONDITION. YOU THANKED ME FOR HELPING YOU. YOU ARE NICE.”

Edge gave Blue that small smile of someone who didn’t believe a word he was saying. Blue sighed. He was way too used to that expression.

Blue said quietly, “I GUESS IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER. EVEN IF YOU ARE A MEAN PERSON, YOU STILL NEED TO REST. CAN YOU REST HERE FOR ME?”

The taller skeleton gave a reluctant nod. “I WILL.”

“GOOD. “I’LL BE BACK SHORTLY WITH MY BROTHER.” Blue hesitated for just a moment before he added, for the very first time, “STAY SAFE.”

“STAY SAFE,” Edge said back automatically. Then he blinked at Blue and smiled at him. It was a soft smile, there one instant, gone the next. Blue felt his soul leap with joy. Edge had smiled at him. Edge had smiled at him! Blue hadn’t seen Edge smile that big the entire time they had been there. Maybe he could help Edge after all.

Blue spun around and left almost in a skip. Finally, he had hope in the future.

 

* * *

 

 

Blue felt as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him. It wasn’t. It was just the weight of Stretch. The concussed monster was just shy of being carried by Blue down the path of grey snow. Blue definitely wasn’t happy with that situation (after all, it hurt his injured shoulder badly), but he was willing to put up with it for his brother’s sake. There was one other situation he was barely putting up with.

“...and that’s when i saw the damned jar of dust. i didn’t think it was dust, of course. what kind of a psychopath keeps a jar of dust in their basement? i actually opened the damned thing and got it all over my clothes. so gross.”

Blue took advantage of the break to try and correct Stretch’s mistaken impression. “ACTUALLY, STRETCH, THAT JAR OF DUST IS-”

Stretch snarled, “i don’t really care what fucking excuse you’ve come up with this time. he’s got a damned jar of dust and it sure as hell creeps me out. i don’t understand why you keep apologizing for that fucker. ”

The older brother pouted. “STRETCH. PLEASE WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE AND TREAT OUR HOST WITH THE RESPECT ANY SENTIENT CREATURE DESERVES.”

Stretch sighed dramatically. “sure, bro. let me just fold up my anger and put it on a shelf. oh wait. i can’t do that. someone tried to fucking sever my soul and now i can’t regulate my emotions at all!”

Blue winced and nodded. He could still remember the day he’d come home early from school and found their babysitter holding a knife that was slicing through his baby brother’s soul. He’d done everything he could, back then all the way up to right now, to help his brother survive the consequences of that action. But it irked him just a little that Stretch only brought it up when he felt he was losing an argument.

“anyway,” Stretch continued, blind to his brother’s feelings yet again, “i haven’t finished telling you about my day yet. i had just found out that the jar was full of dust when…”


	8. Vignettes

“what do you mean, “we’re not going upstairs”?” Stretch nearly shouted Blue out of the house when they finally arrived.

 

“EXACTLY WHAT I SAID. EDGE HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT LATELY. HE IS IN NEED OF A REAL REST AND GOOD SLEEP. HE NEEDS TO BE ON THE BED FOR NOW,” Blue explained slowly, trying to make it easy to understand through the concussion. 

 

Stretch growled. “so fucking rude. kicking us out of bed and forcing us to sleep on the cou-”

 

Blue interrupted him, “-STRETCH, IT’S HIS HOUSE. IT’S HIS BED. HE HAS MORE RIGHT TO SLEEP THERE THAN WE DO.”

 

Stretch roared at Blue, leaning over the top of him, “don’t you fucking dare to interrupt me! you know how I feel about that! ugh, why do you have to be so stupid? you’d think you could remember something as simple as that.”

 

Blue looked guiltily down at the floor. “I’M SORRY, BROTHER.”

 

Stretch frowned. “i don’t believe you. someone who was truly sorry would remember not to interrupt me. until you can make a believable apology you don’t deserve to sleep on the couch. You can use your emergency blanket and sleep on the floor.”

 

“YES, BROTHER,” Blue said quietly. 

 

He pulled a patched woolen blanket out of his inventory and schlepped over to the corner by the vent. He laid out the blanket and wrapped himself up in it, angling his body so that the heat from the vent could still percolate into the rest of the room.

 

Stretch watched this with the barest hint of a smile on his face. It dropped into a frown every time Blue looked in his direction. Stretch had a lot of practice doing that. Anytime he got stressed or painful, this more vicious side of him came out. Blue was so easy to manipulate that he had no idea what his brother was capable of. But, what with the strange world, dust, and concussion, Stretch was definitely stressed and painful. And, to be honest, he would pull stunts like this even when he wasn’t stressed or painful. It was just...fun!

 

Stretch took the thick, lush blanket off the couch and set himself up to sleep in the superior comfort of the couch. It was actually quite soft. Definitely the better of the two options. Score.

  
  


* * *

 

“no, this isn’t the right part,” Stretch said with fake exasperation the next day. “you’re not listening to me. i said i needed a hot plate, not an aluminum tube. here, i’ll even draw it for you so you know what it looks like.”

 

Stretch grabbed a piece of paper and started drawing the hot plate out. It wasn’t a very good drawing. He wasn’t very good at it, not like Blue was. Stretch really hated how Blue flaunted all of those things Stretch didn’t have. He had strength, the ability to clean, the ability to cook, the ability to draw; Stretch was jealous of so many of Blue’s qualities. Of course he could manipulate Blue into doing almost anything he wanted but that was irrelevant.

 

Edge took the drawing with a look of exhaustion. He said, “I’M SORRY. I’LL TRY TO GET THE RIGHT THING THIS TIME.”

 

“see that you do,” Stretch said dismissively, turning away from Edge to start fiddling with the machine. 

 

Only when he heard the door to the basement click shut did Stretch turn away from the machine to get to work on his current project. He pulled the half complete drip coffee machine and started installing the aluminum tube that would run next to the hot plate in order to heat up the water to make coffee. Coffee was sacred in Stretch’s world, and he had gone too long without it. He absolutely couldn’t work on the machine any more until he had coffee in his system. Definitely. 

 

* * *

 

Blue’s greatest weakness wasn’t his small size or his broken shoulder. No, his greatest weakness was cleaning. He didn’t know what to call it, but whenever he started to clean anything he got stuck in what was almost a trance. Nothing got through; not words, not obstacles, not anything. The trance would last until he ran out of things to clean. Well, that and pain. Pain woke him up very quickly. 

 

Pain was also Stretch’s favorite way to get Blue to stop. He basically had license to do anything he wanted to Blue, because Blue never remembered what had been done to him. Stretch had mastered the art of knowing just how much pain it would take. He liked living below it.

 

Today Stretch was having fun bumping and tripping Blue into every hard surface he could manage. Blue hit the walls, stairs, ground, and table multiple times. He was definitely going to have bruises in the morning. Unfortunately, this was getting to be about the right time for Edge to come home from his early-morning shift. Stretch didn’t want that dirty murderer to tattle on him to Blue. That meant it was time to wake Blue up for real.

 

Stretch arranged himself lazily on the couch and put one foot way out into space. Sure enough, Blue tripped over it and ended up sprawled on the floor. Stretch reached over and grabbed his hand, twisting it around itself until the bones creaked...and then some.

 

Blue yelped and tried to roll away from Stretch’s hold. The taller brother quickly let go and went back to casually lounging on the couch.    
  


“hey, bro. you got into one of your funks again. it would creep anyone out, the way you move. i had to trip you to get you out of it. you’re lucky i’m here, otherwise edge would have seen you and gotten totally creeped out.”

 

Blue sat up, holding his good arm close and looking over the hairline fractures that were starting to bleed. Then he smiled weakly at Stretch and said, “THANK YOU.”

 

Stretch chose to say, “now, can you get me a thing of lasagna? i’m starting to feel a bit hungry. “

 

* * *

 

The next day Edge was shuffling up the stairs to sleep in his bedroom when Stretch came out of the doorway. Edge wasn’t quite sure what happened after that. One minute he was on the stairs climbing towards his room, the next he was teetering precariously over the edge of the railing and about to fall six feet down to the ground below.

 

He was just about to fall when one small hand tugged him desperately back onto the staircase. He ended up sprawled on his butt. He slid down several steps before the friction was enough to slow him to a stop. 

 

Edge shook his head and tried to calm his soul beat down from the frantic whine it had reached. He looked around and met the eyes of Blue, who was panting and sitting a few steps up the stairs from him. Blue smiled weakly and said, “I’M SORRY FOR THE ROUGH FALL. NORMALLY I’D BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOU BETTER, BUT MY LEFT ARM STILL HAS A WAYS TO GO BEFORE IT’S FINISHED HEALING.”

 

Edge squeezed his hand gently. “THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU TO FEEL SORRY FOR. I WAS ALMOST OVER THE EDGE; EVEN IF YOU HAD TWO GOOD HANDS, I WOULD NOT HAVE MINDED IF YOU GAVE ME A ROUGH LANDING. I COULD HAVE HURT MYSELF BADLY. DON’T FEEL DOWN FOR NOT SAVING ME PERFECTLY.“

 

Blue smiled a little more genuinely at that. “I’LL TRY TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. I’M GLAD YOU’RE OKAY.”

 

Edge smiled back at him. “FOR SAVING ME, LET ME MAKE YOU SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR DINNER. HOW DOES ROAST VENISON SOUND? I HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME THAWING IN THE FRIDGE.”

 

“THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL! I’LL HELP YOU SAUTE SOME MUSHROOMS TO GO WITH THEM,” Blue offered. 

 

Edge grinned. “PERFECT.”

  
  


“STRETCH, I’M REALLY UPSET WITH YOU AND WE NEED TO TALK!” Blue shouted down the staircase to the basement the next day. 

 

From the bowels of the basement came a grease-stained Stretch. His signature orange hoodie was starting to look like a melting jack-o-lantern. His pants were no better off, and his crocs were squeakier than usual. He looked rough and unimpressed. 

 

“what’s got you in a snit this time, blue?” Stretch said, rolling his eyes. 

 

Blue stamped his foot. “IT IS NOT A SNIT! I’M GENUINELY ANGRY WITH YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO EDGE. I SAW YOU BUMP HIM OVER THE RAILING YESTERDAY. YOU COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED HIM! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?”

 

Stretch chuckled. “there you go again, blue, making up stories to turn yourself into a hero. edge tripped all on his own. i was nowhere near him.”

 

“YES YOU WERE! YOU BUMPED HIM, AND HE-” Blue was cut off.

 

“-he’s your newest friend, isn’t he? another poor monster who you’ve decided to worship and rescue whenever you can. you always get like this. any time you make a new friend you turn on me. you love him more than me, don’t you?” Stretch accused. 

 

Blue stood in shock. What kind of a question was that to ask your boyfriend and brother? Of course Blue loved Stretch...obviously. Why would he be dating him if he didn’t?

 

Apparently Blue’s shock lasted too long, because Stretch lost it. He snarled at Blue, shoved him, and threw a succession of punches at Blue’s ribcage. Bones creaked, cracked, and broke clean in two. Blue collapsed down on the ground and rolled into a protective ball. Blood stained the fresh snow. 

 

Stretch stopped punching when Blue collapsed on the ground. He stared at his brother, at his fist, then at the blood in the snow. His face twisted into a mask of guilt. Under the guilt was a sick pleasure. 

 

“oh stars, i didn’t mean to do that. my soul must have messed up the balance of anger again.”

 

Blue coughed weakly and smiled stiffly up at Stretch. “THAT’S OKAY, I’LL BE FINE. YOU GO BACK TO YOUR MACHINE. I’LL HEAD IN AND DEAL WITH THIS.”

 

Stretch left with only a sidelong glance at Blue. He headed back into the basement and shut the door. Only when Blue had heard the door click did he let himself go. Blue tears trickled down his face and stained the snow yet another color. He was bawling. The only reason he wasn’t wracked with sobs was his ribs. His brother had hit him. His brother had hurt him badly. And he hadn’t even tried to hide his lack of an apology.

 

* * *

 

An hour or so passed. Edge came back from his morning shift to pick Blue up for training. He couldn’t find him inside, so he walked around the house to check the basement. What he found was a horror show. Red blood soaked the snow in a large puddle around the curled-up Blue. Edge could hear the crying from here. 

 

He quickly knelt down in the snow, heedless of the blood that was soaking into his pants. He reached out one shaking hand and gently stroked Blue’s arm.

 

“BLUE? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”

 

Instantly he regretted the question. Of course Blue wasn’t alright. He was crying in a pool of his own blood.

 

“...I’LL BE OKAY,” Blue said quietly. He sounded hoarse, probably from all the crying.

 

Edge hesitated. He needed to help Blue, but moving him might make any injuries worse. On the other hand it wasn’t safe to bandage Blue out here. It was amazing that no one had smelled the blood and come hunting for the free EXP. They needed to get inside where the wards and locks would protect them.

 

“BLUE, I’M GOING TO HAVE TO PICK YOU UP TO TAKE YOU INSIDE. IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO HURT, BUT WE AREN’T SAFE OUT HERE. CAN I DO THAT?”

 

Blue nodded. “GO AHEAD. I’M GETTING LIGHTHEADED, THOUGH. I MIGHT FAINT.”

 

“UNDERSTOOD,” Edge said. 

 

He slowly slipped his arms under Blue to lift him up. Blue grunted, but he managed to stay conscious all the way into the house. Edge set him on the couch and quickly went back to lock and ward the door. Then he ran over and grabbed the medical kit and set to work. He ended up having to cut off Blue’s shirt. The sight that met him was horrible. It looked like Blue had gotten caught in a power hammer. There were so many breaks it was going to be impossible to put everything back together naturally. 

 

“BLUE?” Edge asked, scared of what he was going to have to do. 

 

“YES, EDGE?”

 

Edge breathed in a sigh. “I’M SORRY, BUT I’M GOING TO HAVE TO USE HEALING MAGIC ON THIS. MY HEALING MAGIC...IT HURTS A LOT. I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT IT.”

 

Blue smiled at him. “THAT’S OKAY. IT CAN’T BE ANY WORSE THAN MY ALPHYS’. IT FEELS LIKE AN ELECTRIC SHOCK, AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY. IF YOU NEED TO USE HEALING MAGIC, THEN GO AHEAD. THANK YOU FOR WARNING ME, THOUGH.”

 

Edge flashed a smile. “YOU’RE WELCOME. DO YOU WANT A TOWEL TO BITE DOWN ON? OR A STRESS BALL?”

 

“I’M GOOD. GO AHEAD AND DO YOUR WORST.”

 

Edge quickly set to work repairing the mess of a ribcage that Blue was left with. After a few seconds, Blue smiled. “I DON’T KNOW WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOUR MAGIC HURTS, BUT THIS FEELS FINE. IF YOU HAVE THE ENERGY WHEN YOU’RE DONE, CAN YOU HEAL MY ARM? I’LL NEED IT TO WARD OFF STRETCH. UM, I MEAN…”

 

Edge stiffened. “YOUR BROTHER DID THIS TO YOU?”

 

Blue looked guiltily down. “IT’S MY FAULT. HE ASKED ME IF I LOVED YOU MORE THAN HIM AND I DIDN’T ANSWER FAST ENOUGH.”

 

“THAT’S NO REASON TO HIT YOU, LET ALONE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND THAT’S A VERY UNFAIR QUESTION FOR HIM TO ASK. YOU CAN LOVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON AT A TIME. IT SHOULDN’T BE A CONTEST.”

 

Blue looked up at him, fresh tears rolling down his face. “IT’S HIS SOUL. A LONG TIME AGO OUR BABYSITTER TRIED TO SLICE HIS SOUL IN HALF. HE CAN’T REALLY CONTROL HIS EMOTIONS ANYMORE.”

 

Edge was unimpressed. “BULLSHIT. EVEN IF HE DOES HAVE EMOTIONAL ISSUES, THAT IS STILL NO EXCUSE TO HIT YOU. I’VE GOTTEN ANGRY WITH RED IN THE PAST. FURIOUS, EVEN. I NEVER HIT HIM. HITTING SOMEONE IS A CHOICE. HURTING SOMEONE IS A CHOICE. HE SHOULDN’T BE MAKING THAT CHOICE OVER THIS. YOU NEED TO TELL HIM THAT HURTING YOU IS NOT OKAY.”

 

“I’LL...THINK ABOUT IT, OKAY?” Blue said. His eye sockets blinked a few times. “RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO SLEEP.”

 

Edge nodded. “GO AHEAD AND SLEEP, THEN. I CAN HANDLE THIS BY MYSELF. I’LL WAKE YOU WHEN IT’S TIME TO EAT.”

 

Blue soon drifted off to sleep. Edge sighed out his worry and continued to heal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come join me on Twitter @yastaghr   
> Or on Tumblr at yastaghr.tumblr.com


	9. An Ounce of Prevention Isn't Worth a Pound of Cure

Stretch snuck up the basement stairs and out into the grey snow. His mind was already thinking of all the things he could do to Blue when he found him. He’d been working on the machine when a splitting headache had made work impossible. He really needed an outlet, and Blue was his favorite one. Time for a little field trip.

 

He walked as quietly as he could through the drifts around the house and over to the front door. He tiptoed up the steps...and found the front door completely unable to be opened. The handle wouldn’t even turn underneath his hand, no matter how desperately he fiddled with it.

 

Stretch growled under his breath. Why the hell had someone locked the door? They knew he was out here. He should be able to get back inside whenever he wanted. This was an outrage! He stomped back down into the basement and went back to work on the machine. They’d pay in the morning for locking him out. They would pay.

 

A few hours later Stretch heard the floorboards above him creak into life above him. He smiled deviously. Someone was up, and that meant it was time for him to enact his plan. He grabbed the device he had built from the counter and carried it up the stairs. He set it up just at the bottom of the staircase, then buried it in fresh snow. Only when it was thoroughly hidden did Stretch retreat back down into the basement to wait.

 

Minutes passed before Stretch heard the satisfying snap of two metal arms coming crashing together around something breakable. He chuckled quietly to himself, waiting to hear the screams of pain. He waited. And waited. And waited.

 

Polite knocks sounded on the basement door, breaking his waiting. He reluctantly got up and ambled over to the staircase. He ascended the steps and opened the door. 

 

Edge stood just outside the doorway. He had a blank expression on his face that still managed to be polite. Stretch risked a quick glance and saw the bear trap he had set up outside the front door. It was sitting just behind Edge with a broom still trapped inside its arms. 

 

“I’M SORRY IF I DISTURBED YOUR SLEEP, STRETCH. IT APPEARS ONE OF THE MALCONTENTS IN THIS AREA SET UP A BEAR TRAP AT THE BASE OF MY FRONT STEPS. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HADN’T BEEN INJURED. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HAD TRIED TO COME INTO THE HOUSE LAST NIGHT?”

 

Stretch’s mind raced for a way to turn this to his advantage. “i did go up to the house last night. they must not have set the trap up yet. if criminals would do something like that, how can i know i’ll be safe? i tried to get in the house but the door was locked. it left me extremely vulnerable.”

 

“I CAN IMAGINE,” Edge said with an odd sort of sympathy. Stretch caught himself trying to scowl and changed his mask into a worried frown. He did not want the sympathy of a LV laden criminal. “THE DOOR HAS A TENDENCY TO GET STUCK AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT. PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU REMAINED IN THE BASEMENT DURING NIGHT HOURS. I HAVE AN OLD MATTRESS IN THE SHED THAT I CAN SET UP DOWN THERE FOR YOU. WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE?”

 

Stretch huffed. Damn it, there was nothing there that he could argue with. “okay,” Stretch said dubiously. “i guess that sounds good. i’ll need some sheets too!”

 

Edge calmly said, “I’LL GET YOU SHEETS AND A BLANKET. JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE.”

 

Stretch watch him walk off with the odd feeling that he’d somehow lost. Time to take it out on someone weaker. He went off in search of Blue.

 

* * *

 

Edge stood up and dusted off his hands with satisfaction. The bed he’d set up in the basement for Stretch looked more appealing than his own did. The bed clothes were freshly washed and very soft. The corners were neat. The pillow was, in fact, three pillows arranged in a vee. Red always liked his pillows in a vee. It was a hard shape to resist.

 

With that irresistibly comfortable bed set up Edge felt good enough to head back in the house. After how badly Stretch had injured Blue the day before Edge didn’t want him anywhere near Blue when the other was sleeping. This was the only thing Edge could think of to do that.

 

Edge had just wrapped his hand around the front door’s knob when an echoing thud came through the wall next to him. The thud was followed by a muffled thunk as whatever had hit the wall fell to the floor. He didn’t even have to think about it. He was already yanking on the door, unlocking it with his magical signature in a way he was more than happy to have spent the money on. The door slammed against the outside wall. He took in the sight before him. 

 

Blue was clutching his left arm with his right hand. He had a rapidly developing bruise on the left side of his head. He’d been backed into a corner, his eyes were closed, and he was whimpering. He was also shaking in waves, head to feet. 

 

Stretch had a sick grin on his face. His body was tensed with excitement and the need to move. He had a long bone attack in his hand and was stalking towards his huddled brother.

 

In a millionth of a second Edge was standing between Stretch and Blue. His arms were held out in front of him, ready to catch the bone when Stretch swung it. A part of him wanted to bring out his own attacks and teach Stretch a real lesson. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, though. He knew Blue wouldn’t like it.

 

Stretch’s face twisted into a scowl. He growled, “get out of my way, murderer.”

 

Edge stood firm. “I’M NOT GOING TO LET YOU HURT HIM. HE DESERVES TO BE HAPPY AND SAFE FROM HARM JUST AS MUCH AS YOU OR I DO. HE’S DONE NOTHING TO HURT YOU. LEAVE HIM BE.”

 

Stretch’s face underwent a painful transition. It slipped from anger into disgust, then on into wheedling need. “you’re really listening to this, blue? he doesn’t care about me or my problems. how can you listen to someone who can’t even show that basic courtesy? i’m really disappointed in you. dad would be really disappointed in you.”

 

Edge heard the rustling of Blue’s clothes behind him. Then he saw Blue peer out from behind him out of the corner of his eye sockets. The small monster radiated frustration. 

 

“YOU NEVER LISTEN TO PEOPLE, STRETCH. THAT’S NOT AT ALL WHAT HE’S SAYING. ALL HE’S SAYING IS THAT YOU SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL AROUND ME. IS THAT REALLY SO BAD?”

 

Stretch shook his head, looking hurt. “you know how it is with my soul, bro. i can’t help it. and, anyway, i don’t have to listen to Edge. he’s got LV, bro. that makes him a criminal.”

 

Edge felt the tone around him shift. He wanted to scream at Blue not to get upset over that. He did have LV. It was perfectly reasonable for Stretch not to trust him. He didn’t want Blue to get hurt over something like this.

 

“STRETCH,” Blue said quietly, his tone almost dangerously close to tears, “IS THAT WHY YOU DON’T LISTEN TO ME? BECAUSE OF MY PAST AS A PROSTITUTE? BECAUSE I BROKE THE RULES?”

 

Stretch didn’t say anything. He only snarled and chopped at Blue with his weapon. Edge blocked the blow almost without thought. It was strong, but not nearly strong enough to beat Edge. But beating Edge didn’t seem to be Stretch’s goal. He’d abandoned the bone in mid swing. It clattered to the floor as Stretch bolted out the front door.

 

Silence echoed off the walls of the house. Then Edge sighed and moved over to the couch, sitting down. “I’M SORRY. I DIDN’T THINK HE WOULD HURT YOUR WHILE I WAS SETTING UP HIS BED. I THOUGHT IF I COULD KEEP HIM AWAY FROM YOU WHILE YOU SLEPT THAT YOU’D BE SAFE. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. ABUSERS DON’T CARE WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS.”

 

 When Blue didn’t respond, Edge looked over at him. Blue had wrapped his arms around himself and was shivering with his head down. He looked like he might throw up. 

 

“BLUE?”

 

“YOU MUST HATE ME NOW,” Blue said flatly. He sounded so far off and shaken. Edge’s hands itched to comfort him.

 

“WHY WOULD I DO THAT, BLUE?” Edge asked.

 

Blue flinched from him, backing up further into the corner. “YOU HEARD WHAT I SAID. I’M DIRTY. BROKEN. TAINTED. I’VE GIVEN MYSELF AWAY. I BROKE THE RULES. I’M NOT WORTH SAVING.”

 

Edge blinked at him. Something must be getting lost in translation here. “NONE OF THAT IS A REASON FOR ME TO HATE YOU. PROSTITUTION IS LEGAL HERE. I KNOW SEVERAL PROSTITUTES. THE ONLY TIME IT BECOMES ILLEGAL IS WHEN A CHILD IS INVOLVED OR ONE OR MORE PARTIES DID NOT CONSENT.”

 

Blue scrunched up even further. “I...I WAS A CHILD, EDGE. I HAD TO DO IT. AFTER DAD’S ACCIDENT I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF STRETCH. NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME FOR HONEST WORK, AND I...I WAS ALREADY TAINTED. I NEVER WANTED TO DO IT, BUT I HAD TO.”

 

Edge stepped closer to Blue and squatted down. He reached out one arm and stroked Blue’s leg soothingly. “YOU’RE SO BRAVE FOR HAVING SURVIVED THAT, BLUE. I ONLY WISH YOU NEVER HAD TO. I HOPE WHOEVER RAPED YOU IS IN JAIL NOW, OR AT THE VERY LEAST IS IN A MAGIC CUFF.”

 

“THEY’RE NOT,” Blue said wretchedly. “THEY DID NOTHING WRONG. THEY DIDN’T BREAK THE RULES. I DID.”

 

“WHAT ARE THESE RULES?” Edge asked indignantly, “WHY WOULD ANYONE MAKE RULES THAT A CHILD IS AT FAULT IN THEIR OWN RAPE? CHILDREN SHOULD BE SACRED; RAPE AND CHILD ABUSE ARE BOTH PART OF THE BIG FOUR. THEY’RE THE WORST CRIMES ANYONE CAN COMMIT.”

 

Blue cleared his throat. “NO PROSTITUTION OR PAST PROSTITUTION FOR ANY REASON. NO GAMBLING OR PAST GAMBLING FOR ANY REASON. NO DRINKING OF ALCOHOL. DO NOT DISOBEY AUTHORITY OF ANY SORT FOR ANY REASON. NO SUPERSTITION. CRIME IS THE FAULT OF THE VICTIM FOR NOT TAKING ADEQUATE PRECAUTIONS. CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED OUTSIDE THE HOME OR SCHOOL EXCEPT BETWEEN 8 TO 9 O’CLOCK AND 16 TO 17 O’CLOCK. NO WHISTLING. NO LITTERING. NO DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR, MUSIC, OR IMAGERY. NO FALLING DOWN.”

 

Edge’s jaw fell open. “THAT’S RIDICULOUS. WHO- WHY- HOW?”

 

“THE QUEEN MADE THE RULES AFTER HER HUSBAND LEFT FOR THE RUINS. THE PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING THEM IS HUGE. OSTRACIZATION, INCREASED TAXES AND CHARGES FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN, HUGE PAY DECREASES, BANISHMENT FROM CERTAIN JOBS, MOCKERY, NO GUARD PROTECTION...I COULD BE LISTING THESE ALL DAY,” Blue said sadly.

 

Edge frowned. “WELL, THAT’S NOT HOW WE DO THINGS HERE. THE ONLY CRIMES THAT HAVE PERMANENT PUNISHMENTS ARE THE BIG FOUR. I’VE GOT A PAMPHLET IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE. I KNOW A MONSTER WITH LV ISN’T WORTH LISTENING TO ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.”

 

“THAT’S NOT GOING TO STOP ME LISTENING TO YOU,” Blue stamped his foot, frustrated. “YOU’RE MY FRIEND...AT LEAST, I CONSIDER YOU TO BE MY FRIEND. ARE WE FRIENDS?”

 

Edge flinched. He stepped back from Blue as his face shut down. “NO. I HAVE LV. I CAN’T AFFORD FRIENDS. ESPECIALLY NOT WITH SOMEONE WHO WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE.” Edge pulled out a pair of pamphlets and handed them over to Blue. “NEVERTHELESS IT IS MY DUTY TO SEE TO YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THESE AND LOCK THE FRONT DOOR AFTER ME.”

 

Blue watched as Edge spun around and headed for the front door. He felt hollow inside, like someone had drained all the filling out of him. He knew the feeling, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. It would go away if he waited long enough. It always did. 

 

Once Edge had left and Blue had locked the door, Blue sat down to read the two pamphlets Edge had given him. The first was a pamphlet explaining domestic abuse. The more of it Blue read, the more uncomfortable he felt. A lot of things were starting to line up, like the physical attacks, lack of apologies, and emotional manipulation. But there was no way Stretch could be abusing him, right? He loved him, he...had he ever even said it? Blue couldn’t remember a single time that Stretch had said that, even when he was little. 

 

In a desperate attempt to avoid thinking about the growing fear, pain, and despair in his soul, Blue turned to the next pamphlet. This one seemed to be about some kind of magic cuff. It looked like it locked around the soul and permanently disabled magic. Blue couldn’t imagine any reason for something like that to be used until he read the next panel.

 

“These cuffs, designed by the former Queen of the Underground after the fall of the first human, are used only in the worst kind of cases. They are for instances of abuse, child neglect, rape, and animal cruelty. It is up to the victim if they want to be lenient. If the laws are broken again, the punishment is death. Only two monsters in the history of these cuffs have faced the death penalty. Both happened in the early years of the program.”

 

Blue raised his hand to his mouth, horrified. Those did sound like horrible crimes, but...did Edge really think he would want to do this to his brother? He’d raised Stretch. He loved Stretch. He was sure they could work this out eventually...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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**Author's Note:**

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